James Paterson
The lead technique writer on Digital Camera Magazine, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine and N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine, James is a fantastic general practice photographer with an enviable array of skills across every genre of photography.
Whether it's flash photography techniques like stroboscopic portraits, astrophotography projects like photographing the Northern Lights, or turning sound into art by making paint dance on a set of speakers, James' tutorials and projects are as creative as they are enjoyable.
He's also a wizard at the dark arts of Photoshop, Lightroom and Affinity Photo, and is capable of some genuine black magic in the digital darkroom, making him one of the leading authorities on photo editing software and techniques.
Latest articles by James Paterson
How to clone to perfection in Affinity Photo
By James Paterson, N-Photo published
VIDEO Improve your landscapes and remove distractions using simple retouching skills in Affinity Photo
How to light paint incredible abstracts over water
By James Paterson, N-Photo published
VIDEO Create light-painted images over water and use Photoshop CC to blend and warp illuminating composites
Make a cosmic composite portrait – N-Photo 147 video tutorial
By James Paterson, N-Photo published
VIDEO Make a cosmic composite in Affinity Photo using a portrait and a celestial shot from NASA
Use colour gel photography to adjust white balance – N-Photo 147 video tutorial
By James Paterson, N-Photo published
VIDEO Colour gel photography can be used to warm up or cool down background tones, but did you know you can use blue gels to add warmth? Here's how...
Use flash to light up a landscape – N-Photo 157 video tutorial
By James Paterson, N-Photo published
VIDEO Use an off-camera portable flash to fill dim landscapes with light, and marvel at the striking results
How to fake a colour infrared images using Affinity Photo – N-Photo 157 video tutorial
By James Paterson, N-Photo published
VIDEO Love the infrared look but don’t fancy converting your camera? Here's how to fake an 'IR' image in Affinity Photo
How to speed up your workflow with Photoshop's Actions – N-Photo 157 video tutorial
By James Paterson, N-Photo published
VIDEO Learn how to create a Photoshop Action and make the most of our free portrait retouching kit
5 essential boudoir photography tips
By James Paterson published
How to Create beautiful boudoir photography with the right gear, the right lighting skills and our range of posing tips
Fine-art nudes: four pro lighting set-ups
By James Paterson published
How to How to take control of lighting and posing to photograph captivating fine art images of the female form
Photograph an optical illusion using a magic mirror
By James Paterson published
How to Get creative with reflections to create a spellbinding composite photo that lets you see right through your subject
How to shoot a blockhead baby photo portrait
By James Paterson published
how to James Paterson gets creative with portraits and toy blocks to craft a cheeky composite with some simple Photoshop skills
Create this surreal watering can still life at home – N-Photo 156 video tutorial
By James Paterson, N-Photo published
VIDEO Learn to create a stunning gravity-defying still-life using watering cans and Photoshop trickery by watching this step-by-step video
How to exposure blend a landscape – N-Photo 155 video tutorial
By James Paterson, N-Photo published
VIDEO Exposure blending techniques can transform your landscapes but which is the better choice – HDR or Luminosity Masking?
How to use Affinity Photo's Focus Merge to create sharper scenes – N-Photo 156 video tutorial
By James Paterson, N-Photo published
VIDEO Shoot a focus stack and then use Affinity Photo's Focus Merge command to create front-to-back sharpness
How to make a multiplicity photo in Affinity Photo – N-Photo 155 video tutorial
By James Paterson, N-Photo published
VIDEO Combine several portraits of the same subject to master essential layer masking skills and create a magnificent multiplicity photo
How to mix up your landscapes in Adobe Photoshop – N-Photo 156 video tutorial
By James Paterson, N-Photo published
VIDEO Learn how to get to grips with the spectacular AI-powered Landscape Mixer tool in Adobe Photoshop CC
How to heal noise in Adobe Photoshop – N-Photo 155 video tutorial
By James Paterson, N-Photo published
VIDEO Learn to harness the power of Adobe CC's noise-reduction tools and find out which ones are most effective
Image blend a starburst – N-Photo 149 video tutorial
By James Paterson, N-Photo published
VIDEO Beat diffraction by image blending a starburst shot at f/22 and two f/8 exposures to maximize sharpness
Create incredible urban abstracts – N-Photo 151 video tutorial
By James Paterson, N-Photo published
VIDEO Transform everyday street scenes into evocative works of art with surprisingly simple techniques
How to backlight a studio portrait like a pro – N-Photo 154 video tutorial
By James Paterson, N-Photo published
VIDEO You might think it’s as simple as lighting the subject from behind, but there’s more to backlighting than meets the eye
How to photograph misty landscapes – N-Photo 153 video tutorial
By James Paterson, N-Photo published
VIDEO Use mist to help form striking landscapes
How to capture amazing interiors – N-Photo 152 video tutorial
By James Paterson, N-Photo published
VIDEO Stop shooting inferior interiors – improve your framing, lighting and editing with our 'insider' guide
Create motion-filled sports shots – N-Photo 150 video tutorial
By James Paterson, N-Photo published
VIDEO Combine long exposures with flash for an eye-catching slow-speed sync effect to create motion-filled sports shots
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